Touch of Faith
by nekozuki1776
Summary: Chapter 4 up. AU. A guarded man with little emotion. A spirited young woman with a tragic past. It was a simple matter of fate the two figures meet. Akira x Yuya pairing.
1. The Life of Two Figures

**TITLE:** TOUCH OF FAITH by: nekozuki1776

DRAMA/SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE

**RATING:** PG-13 due to strong language, violence, and slight adult situations

**SUMMARY:** A guarded man of ice with little emotion. A spirited young woman with a tragic past. It was a simple matter of fate the two figures meet. AU. Akira x Yuya pairing.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo anime, manga or any of its characters. Kamijyo Akimine is the true legal and spiritual owner.

This is an AU (alternate universe) story. It contains a pairing between Akira and Yuya. If you are a Kyo/Yuya shipper and do not like the exploration of any alternatives, you have been duly warned. This story contains various SDK characters (that appear in later volumes of the manga) some might not be familiar with and thus might be considered as minor spoilers.

* * *

Touch of Faith

Chapter 1: The Life of Two Figures

_A crazed, raspy voice of a man bordering on madness.__ His frustration heightened by an overabundance of alcohol. _

_A small figure quivered before him, taking the brunt of his violent drunkenness. _

_"Damn it, you good for nothing, clumsy piece of shit!" The man slurred in an angered tone. "You have no use around here!" _

_The small boy dropped down to his knees and scuttled away from him, "Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to break the vase!" _

_"Shut up idiot! I'm beating some sense into you!"_

_"Please don't hurt me," he repeated in mantra-like state. "I'll be good from now on. I promise. Please. Please. . ." his frail voice trailed off as he began to sob. _

_"Stop your whining Ajira! You can't escape your punishment!" The man staggered towards him, lifting the now empty bottle to his lips; becoming further agitated when he realized his liquid sustenance was long gone. _

_The sound of a whiskey bottle being broken echoed throughout the room. _

_He flung the bottle about, knocking over the ceramic lamp; shattering it to many pieces, including the bulb. Darkness filled the room. The boy's only remaining sense of direction was the glaring street light that shone through the window._

_He hated the darkness and the man new it. _

_"Don't look so scared kid. Just showing what you did to the vase . . .an eye for an eye, and you're 'bout to get what's coming to you!"_

_The wobbly hand of the bullying drunkard swung carelessly but uncannily on the mark towards the object of his uncontrolled anger. The man grabbed the boy's wrist and readied for an attack._

_A frighteningly precise swing flew in his direction as the boy frantically tried to escape the man's wrath. Adrenal fear drove a surprising burst of power into the young victim as he successfully pulled away from the attacker. _

_But the man was fast. He swiftly prevented the attempted escape as he continuously kept pace until the boy unwittingly found himself trapped in the corner of the room. The man sneered evilly and lifted the broken bottle in the air once again, "This is what happens to good for nothing bastards!"_

_The jagged end of the bottle just barely missed the top of the boy's head as he made one final attempt to escape._

_And instead made contact with the upper right side of his delicate face. _

_The attacker then slipped on a pool of his own spilled booze and fell into a drunken state of unconsciousness._

_The victim smelled the pungent odor of whiskey and the stench of blood that spilled from his wounds. He didn't scream out in pain. He simply touched the tiny cuts in morbid curiosity as his world faded into complete horrifying darkness._

He bolted upright on his bed, breathing hard between his desperate gasps for air. He was sweating profusely as his arms flailed about in the dark, knocking over the lamp on the adjacent nightstand in his post nightmare stupor. The cotton sheet that was normally cool against his skin did nothing to lower his body temperature. He yanked it away and got up from the bed.

He unconsciously brushed his hand over his disheveled bangs. His light blond hair almost reflected white against the moonlight that pierced between the blinds of the bay window. Seemingly closed, he always left the blinds slightly ajar to allow the slivers of light to reach his bed.

Still discombobulated from the dream, his hand dazedly proceeded down to his right eye. They were still there; the tiny, barely visible scars located around the eye from the bits and pieces of the bottle that once embedded his face.

Remnants of the memory long lost past. He shook his head, trying to repel the lingering feelings of nausea and fright.

He looked at the digital clock obtrusively declaring _3:45am_ in furious crimson.

He sighed. Another night of only three and a half hours of sleep.

On nights like these, he could almost feel the thousand points of pain shattering the side of his face.

He could still smell the cheap whisky co-mingling with the coppery smell of his blood and the stifling grime in the air of that hot summer night.

The last night he saw that no good, worthless bastard.

The last night he went by his old name.

The last night he was able to see fully out of his right eye.

And the last night he promised to himself, that he would ever be weak and vulnerable.

He walked briskly out of his bedroom straight into the kitchen and splashed some water on his face.

He poured himself a glass of cold water and took a swift gulp – trying to lower his body temperature and calm his still rapidly beating heart.

Sighing gratefully, he dropped down on the stool by the kitchen counter which separated the dining room.

This was the fifth night in a row he had the nightmare. He started experiencing it several months ago in increments every week or so. But as time wore on, it came to him more vividly with increasing repetition until recently, he had the nightmare every single evening.

And he hated it. It's been years since he had the dream.

He wondered what providence had instigated this unwelcome reminder of his long lost past.

He hoped that his roommate was not disturbed awake from the commotion. Despite the abundant space the condominium offered, his roommate, like himself had an uncanny ability to sense strong emotions such as fear and frustration—emotions he was experiencing quite intensely at the moment.

He took two generous gulps to finish off the water and grumbled in his tiredness as he glanced towards the rosewood clock whose short hand pointed to four. It would be useless trying to go back to sleep. He decided it was best to just begin his morning routine instead of heading back to bed. He would just add more distance on the treadmill and do some extra research for work. One could always find additional work to be done at his firm. His sadistic boss always saw to that.

He didn't mind the extra work. The more work, the more clients, the more business, the more pay. He was well on his way to becoming financially independent; putting plenty of his money away into savings and sound investments to someday allow for a comfortable living beyond early retirement. Years of mistreatment and rejection had taught him that only he could take care and protect himself.

Despite the tragic life changing experience from long ago, he had managed to make a few errors in judgment over the years by mistakenly trusting a few people. But that was all it took to learn for once and for all that people were inherently evil. He concluded that to trust a very few meant the lowest probability of getting betrayed and hurt. The statistics alone were enough to place the defensive wall of ice around his heart. He didn't need anyone.

Some might see this arrangement as a lonely life. This might especially be the case to a young man of only twenty-three years who was well on his way to an executive track of success. But he didn't see it as such. He already had a core group of people he considered worthy of his respect and trust. Not even a handful, but that was all he required. Other than a few friends, he had no one. It was exactly the way he liked it. After all, self-imposed solitude was much better than the alternative.

Most who tried to get close we're proven to be dirty, low-life bastards who only wanted him for his money, his intelligence, his looks, or his prestige within the company—all materialistic and superficial crap for their own personal gain.

He would never outwardly admit it but every person he encountered that fit this description hurt like the shards of the bottle, piercing his emotions one piece at a time.

He sighed as he decidedly pushed away the dark thoughts and began the process of his early morning routine.

-o-o-o-

"Morning Mahi!" a spirited voice of the energetic eighteen year old bounded out of the kitchen as an exhausted looking woman dragged herself into the room.

"Ugh, can you tone down the chirp a couple of notches? Or at least wait until I've had my morning cup." As an afterthought, she added, "And stop calling me Mahi."

Ignoring the last command, she placed a generous sized mug in her path, "I already brewed the coffee. Here you go, milk, no sugar."

Mahiro Muramasa mumbled an incoherent gratitude, taking a sip of the hot brew as though it was her lifeline.

"I don't know how you can always be so happy in the morning Yuya. Did you already finish your morning workout?"

"Yup, a two mile run. Better than any caffeinated substance to start off the day. You should go running with me this Wednesday."

"You ask me this every other day and you know my answer. Besides, you know how crazy my hours are--especially with my new schedule. I didn't get back until 3:30 this morning."

"That's right, you started your new hours as a resident!"

The young Dr. Muramasa was well sought out in her field. Despite many offers from reputably exclusive institutions, she chose to walk the path less traveled and often unappreciated. The twenty-nine year old new resident continued tirelessly in her profession as an Emergency Room doctor of a city hospital.

"So the chipper college student finally gets it." Mahiro grumbled, laced with humor as the legal stimulant began taking an effect throughout her system.

"I'm sorry, I forgot all about it. I got home from work at ten thirty last night and since the lights were out by the time I got home, I figured you went to bed early."

"Nope. And it was a real doozy of a night at the ER too. Three overdoses, broken ribs, and a knife stab victim."

Yuya nodded sympathetically, "I don't know how you do it. You really are something to be able to handle all that," and in realization she added, "Hey, isn't today your day off?"

Mahiro tilted her head once in the affirmative.

"Then why are you up so early?"

"Now I couldn't miss seeing my little sister off on her first day of college, could I?"

Yuya smiled in response, "That's so sweet! And as a token of my appreciation, I'm going to spruce up some hearty breakfast just for you. What would you like Mahi? Rice and miso soup? Fruit and toast? We do have some leftovers from Saturday-"

"Whatever you have is fine. And stop calling me Mahi! I'm not a fish!"

"That's mahi-mahi. And if you don't like Mahi, then what else would I call you?"

"How about Mahiro?" she responded sarcastically.

"That's too boring. And the other nicknames aren't that appealing either. I can't call you Hiro; that's a guy's name. Hmmm, how about Mahi-chan?"

"Ok, ok. Mahi will do, just don't call me that in front of other people ok? I have a sophisticated rep to uphold as a respectable doctor you know," she smirked.

Knowing how her adopted big sister could have cared less of her prestige as a doctor, Yuya simply smiled, "Let me refill that cup and I'll scrounge up some wheat toast and fruit, ok?"

Mahiro would normally have scoffed at a gesture like this as she wasn't used to such attention and kindness. But it was always an exception when it came to the vivacious girl in front of her. She was hot tempered, a bit on the clumsy side, and surprisingly naïve considering her tragic past. But no one had a bigger heart, a kinder spirit and a more trusting nature than the sweet, energetic blond who was now a permanent part of her tiny group she called family.

"Thanks Yuya, I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Cooking is the least I can do for letting me stay rent free in your apartment, nee-chan. I just wish I could do more."

A slight frown etched in her brow as Mahiro responded assuredly, "Stop that Yuya. Look at all that you've done for yourself. Even after everything that's happened to you. You've pulled yourself together, stayed disciplined, trained hard, and maintained excellent grades in school to earn yourself a full scholarship to a great university. And even though I said it was unnecessary, you've held part-time jobs throughout all this."

"Well, I wanted to at least be responsible for my spending money. . ."

Mahiro knew despite all the hours she worked in her various part-time jobs over the years, Yuya rarely spent any of the money on herself. She wondered where her earnings went but thought better of exploring that avenue since she new that Yuya would never do anything foolish. As long as it wasn't anything illegal, Mahiro had decided long ago to trust her judgment as well as respect her privacy. While Mahiro tried to provide her with the necessities and a few of the luxuries, she tried to never overstep her boundaries as her guardian.

Yuya had an unshakeable sense of pride and dignity which dictated she be treated as an adult ever since they began their life together. Allowing her certain responsibilities of the household was one of the few saving graces that had brought Yuya out of the shell since the incident. Mahiro had always tried to provide all the independence her young ward called for. It was amazing how mature she was for her age. But then again, she had been like this for quite some time now.

A little over four years now.

Mahiro remembered the tragic day like it was yesterday.

Identifying the body of Nozomu at the hospital. His frightened sister, lying in the emergency room, bandaged and half-drugged with her own injury. The police, the doctors, and the detectives all surrounding Yuya. And Mahiro trying to ward them off the barely conscious girl who had sustained a long, jagged knife wound on her abdomen. The only person who seemed competent and respectful of the distraught girl's situation was the assistant detective on the case.

The lead detective was an older gruff of a moron who only went through the motions; showing little effort in finding the killer. No doubt the result of years of working on one gory case after another which jaded him into a cold, unsympathetic being.

It was determined by this detective that the murderer was a professional who covered his tracks well and would probably never be found despite the so called _intensive_ effort placed in the investigation. Even to this day, the case remained unsolved, the murderer still at large. The crotchety detective eventually retired two years into the case and thus allowed the assistant to step up as the new lead on the case.

Determined to find her best friend's killer, Mahiro continued to meet with the new head detective even after the case was placed under the non-priority status. In fact, this was the other reason why she had gotten up earlier than usual this morning. It was time to receive her bi-monthly update on any new possible leads.

Although Yuya had been diligently informed on the case, she was not apprised of these secret meetings. To prevent any unnecessary worries and more importantly for her safety, there was a consensus for Yuya to not be informed of these meetings. Mahiro was determined that Yuya not be placed in any danger—especially considering some of the leads the helpful detective was following up on. It had taken too long for Yuya to come out of her grief and start living a life of a normal teenager again.

While mature and rational on many counts, Yuya was entirely a different being when it came to the topic of her murdered brother. The last thing she wanted was to have her running into the streets in the role of the reckless bounty hunter searching for her brother's killer. The vigilante-like detective she was working with already fit the role and she didn't want her taking the part. She wasn't going to risk the safety and happiness of her sister on a few leads that were bound to turn up nothing.

Deep down, she knew the big risk of doing this in secrecy. But Mahiro had weighed her options and decided that on the slim chance she did find out, it was better for Yuya to hold an eternal grudge against the older sister than placing her in the position of anguish and possible danger. Mahiro had no intention of unnecessarily burdening Yuya of the tragic past and she was determined to protect her from anything that would harm her.

She still remembered the personal oath she took four years ago. With no parents and relatives to claim responsibility over the fourteen year old girl, Mahiro took guardianship over Yuya without hesitation soon after the tragedy. After all, Nozomu was her best friend from medical school and she had always treated Yuya like the little sister she never had.

It was touch and go the first couple of months they lived together, Mahiro doing most of the talking and Yuya doing none of it. It took a long time for her to come out of her grief. But Mahiro never gave up. She knew what Yuya had gone through. She knew how hard it was to lose a loved one. Yuya needed time, space, patience and a listening ear once she was ready to talk. And Mahiro did just that. It was a pact she made to herself to look out for Yuya from that point on.

And as Mahiro had surmised, time gradually started the healing process. Yuya stopped spending time in solitude and they fell into a more comfortable living routine. She diligently did everything she could to help Mahiro around the house.

One thing was for certain, Yuya was an excellent cook. A heck of a lot better than Mahiro since her diet during her med school days consisted of instant ramen noodles and cold pizza. One would think that a person studying the art of health and medicine would have better eating habits. Go figure.

The voice of the young chef interrupted her deep thoughts, "Here you go. If last night was half as hectic as you said it was, you probably didn't even get a chance for a break let alone eat a nutritious meal." Yuya placed a plate of wheat toasts with butter, a bowl of sliced apples and peaches cut up in bite size slices, and a tall glass of orange juice, "Now eat up, sis!"

In many ways, it was more of the little sister that looked out for the older one. Mahiro was indeed lucky to have her.

"I better get going," Yuya picked up her book bag. "Don't want to be late for my first day of class."

Mahiro stood up and gave her a big hug. "Have a great first day, Yuya. I'm so proud of you!"

"Thanks Mahi. I'm working this afternoon but I'll be back by six thirty tonight, and I'll make us a real nice dinner, ok?"

"On no you're not. There's no way I'm letting you cook on your first day of school. We're going out for a nice dinner and I'm not taking no for an answer!" Mahiro continued speaking, now shouting to the parting student who was past the front the door, "And thanks for the breakfast Yuya!"

Yuya waved happily in response and headed off to her first day of college; unaware of the figure with a pair of dark, narrowed eyes standing in the shadows, watching her every move.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-


	2. And They Meet

**TITLE:** TOUCH OF FAITH by: nekozuki1776

DRAMA/SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE

**RATING:** PG-13 due to strong language, violence, and slight adult situations

**SUMMARY:** A guarded man of ice with little emotion. A spirited young woman with a tragic past. It was a simple matter of fate the two figures meet. AU. Akira x Yuya pairing.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo anime, manga or any of its characters. Kamijyo Akimine is the true legal and spiritual owner.

* * *

Touch of Faith

Chapter 2: And They Meet

"What do you have to report Alpha?"

"Same as the usual, leader. She returned home ten thirty last night without incident and a regular jogging routine this morning."

"Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"No leader."

"Very well. I will pass this information on. Tell Beta to report to me immediately after his shift. That will be all."

"Yes leader."

-o-o-o-

"And as indicated in the report, this acquisition will allow the company to increase their assets by 30 percent which stands to raise their overall profit margin by…"

The meeting informing the latest status of his client's most recent endeavor ended successfully as the other department heads offered him their usual compliments. His employer approached him and appreciatively shook his hand.

"Thank you Akira for another splendid presentation. The President will be pleased to hear your report of the additional profits."

"I do what I can sir."

"By the way, a few folks from the Sanada Corporation came in today and we are meeting them tonight at Riccardo's. I was hoping you would be able to join us."

"I was unaware of this visit."

"Frankly, I just got wind of it myself. But I heard that's how they work--coming in at the last minute with little notice to make sure their contractors are running a tight ship."

"I suppose their unorthodox ways of conducting business shouldn't be surprising sir, seeing the arduous process we were put through before they decided to hire us as their consultant."

"Don't remind me. That Yukimura Sanada is especially brutal. He was the one that asked you to compile a globalized report comparing the financial status of the existing Japanese companies that do business with the EU countries in comparison to those in the United States within his specified range, correct?"

"Yes. And it turned out he already had most of the numbers and he was simply testing us to see how long it would take us to compile this report," Akira inwardly seethed just thinking of that unpredictable president's request over the painstakingly intricate task.

"Good thing you were able to acquire all the information quickly through your contacts."

"Yes, but I do wish that we could have avoided all that nonsense."

"Well the important thing is, you were the key variable in acquiring the Sanada account and now we stand to end this year on a great note if the acquisition takes place."

Akira interrupted him, "Not IF, sir, but WHEN the acquisition takes place."

He chuckled, "I stand corrected Akira. So what do you say? You can join us tonight, at least for the cocktail hour, I hope?"

Akira didn't want to go. The lack of sleep was already catching up to him and he had planned on leaving work on time this evening. But he knew by the Director's tone that there would be no room for a polite refusal; especially when it was concerning the Sanada Corporation.

"No problem sir."

"Great then. I'll have the most recent reports of the candidate company the marketing department put together sent to your office. And Akira, I know I've said this to you before, but please feel free to call me Shinrei."

He stated politely but quickly, in the form of an automated response system, "If it's all the same to you, I would rather address you by your title or sir."

"Ah. Very well. If that is your wish."

That was his wish and his response every time Shinrei asked this semi-command disguised under a friendly request. But Akira didn't wish nor need such familiarity with his boss. He could have called Shinrei Taishirou the water dragon for all he cared. It was a waste of time nurturing fake camaraderie and it was an unnecessary deviation from his normal regimen of a reputable firm.

Despite its firmly based roots, this traditional Japanese company was globally oriented with branch offices stationed throughout the world. More than half of the employees working at the headquarter alone consisted of employees other than those of a Japanese nationality. In order to accommodate its diversified workforce, it allowed a fair amount of flexibility compared to the other standardizations of Japanese companies.

Akira knew the Director utilized this air of conviviality to bring false sense of security amongst his employees. As one of the most formidable and feared executives of Taishirou Corp., Shinrei was infamous for flushing out any weakness or incompetence within his group and drowning them out with his brutal tactics.

It mattered not that he was related to the Founder and Chairman of Taishirou Corp. Although it certainly didn't hurt to have the nepotistic benefits of carrying the same name as those of the company, Shinrei was ruthless and revered in his own right.

Fortunately, Akira was far from displaying any weakness or incompetence. Since his entrance to the company fresh out of graduate school with his MBA, he had yet to show Shinrei any sign of these disdained qualities. A brilliant strategist armed with supreme logic and business instincts, Akira was considered one of the most prized employees at Taishirou.

Shinrei had recognized this from day one and had supported him in many of his straightforward, no nonsense tactics resulting in numerous profitable clients over the past two years. Although he would never be mistaken for the friendly and sociable sort, Akira never faltered from his consistent business acumen of always keeping things professional and never personal.

His practice of keeping a cautionary distance from everyone he dealt with was widely known in and out of the company. The "everyone" included colleagues, supervisors, strangers, acquaintances as well as friends. The few people he considered worthy of friendship were even kept at bay in order to prevent any more emotional ties than necessary.

He didn't need any more friends. And he especially didn't need to pursue a sham of a friendship with Director Taishirou.

"I will see you at seven o' clock at Riccardo's this evening."

Akira politely bowed to Shinrei in acknowledgement and exited the conference room.

-o-o-o-

Yuya walked hurriedly through the door as she was greeted by an anxious Mahiro.

"Hey Yuya! What took you so long? I thought you were supposed to come home a half hour ago!"

She threw an apologetic glance in her direction as she hurriedly walked towards her bedroom, "Sorry Mahi. I got stuck at work. Let me get changed and I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Fine." Mahiro called out to her, "Just make sure and dress nice. The reservation at Riccardo's is for 7:30!"

Despite a long, first day of classes and a busy afternoon at work, Yuya was excited to spend some quality time with Mahiro at one of their favorite restaurants. Although she usually preferred less upscale eateries, she was looking forward to going to a high class restaurant like Riccardo's to celebrate her start of college and Mahiro's new position at the hospital.

She slipped on a yellow floral sundress that accentuated her petite frame. She pulled out her ponytail holder and rearranged her hair in a French braid attractively interlaced with a silk ribbon. She retouched her face with a coat of lip gloss and face powder. Her light, smooth complexion which already contained a natural glow required very little make-up, if any. She only wore the very basics, even for special occasions such as this evening.

As a final action item on her checklist, Yuya felt for the gold pendant that she always wore around her neck. It was a gift from her brother on her 14th birthday.

The last day of his life.

**_-FLASHBACK-_**

_"Nozomu, thank you so much for the present.__ It's so beautiful! But this looks expensive, maybe you shouldn't have."_

_"Yuya, you're worth all the precious jewels in the world and then some. But this is a very special necklace. There are special… components concentrated within the pendant that I need to explain to you-"_

_Yuya laughed spiritedly, "Special components? What, like magic? Come on big brother, I'm fourteen, not seven years old! And anyhow, you don't have to make up any stories to convince me Nozomu. This is the best gift I've ever received and I promise to always keep it close to my heart!"_

_For a split second, he offered her a smile that almost seemed melancholy, sad, and maybe even…regretful?_

_But the expression was gone as quickly as it had come. _

_She shook her head, convinced she had imagined it. _

_"I just have to do this one thing and we'll celebrate your birthday at your favorite restaurant tonight, ok?"_

_"Ok but don't you dare be late Nozomu! You're always late! You promised me!" Yuya lightheartedly threw a punch on his arm. Not really minding since his habit of always running late was chalked up as a fond and accepted trademark characteristic that would never change. _

_She didn't care. He was a great brother in every other way. Without any parents or relatives, Nozomu was the only presence in her life who she knew as family. And he was all the family she needed. Just as long as he was there to watch over her, nothing else mattered._

_"I won't be late. I just have to run this one errand and I'll come back in time to take you out for a nice birthday dinner, ok?"_

**_-END FLASHBACK-_**

He never returned.

The wait. The worry. The search.

Looking for him frantically throughout the city. Running into an alley and discovering a shadow of a figure in front of her brother.

And a long sword that was embedded through Nozomu's chest.

Yuya recklessly charging the masked figure like there was no tomorrow and instead being viciously cut by that same sword.

The memory of the attack remaining in the form of a long, jagged scar across her abdomen.

The wound was deep, hurt immensely, and took over thirty stitches to mend.

But the pain was nothing compared to the emotional anguish of losing Nozomu.

She thought of her dear brother everyday. Her caring, wonderful brother that had been her sole caretaker ever since she could remember.

She was determined to find his killer. While the current lead detective on the case seemed competent and dedicated enough--especially compared to his old, disgruntled predecessor--she needed more. She understood that he had other cases and responsibilities, but to Yuya, all the dedicated effort in the world wasn't enough.

She even recently hired an independent private investigator to work on the case. It was one of the main reasons for the necessity of her part-time jobs. She had performed an intensive research looking for the right P.I. who would be willing to take the extra time and effort in finding her brother's killer. Mahiro, of course, didn't know anything about the hiring of the investigator. Yuya was afraid if she ever found out, she would insist on paying for it, or worse yet, maybe even discourage the investigation itself.

She shook her mind of these thoughts. She wouldn't think of this tonight. It was a first time in a long while of going to an elegant restaurant. She was also excited about spending some quality time with Mahiro. Even though they lived under the same roof, their busy schedule and frugal budget seldom allowed a nice night out on the town like this.

With a final check in the mirror and a light tug on her pendant, Yuya turned and exited the room; joining her sister for a nice evening out.

-o-o-o-

"And they kicked Jinpachi out of the bar after that stunt!"

Roars of laughter filled the private quarter of the posh Italian restaurant

A raucous discussion was lead by an entertaining man who sat at the head of the table, throwing various anecdotes to make everyone laugh.

Akira sat on the other side, his stoic countenance interrupted by an occasional smile or a polite chuckle; not betraying his thoughts of the futility of this gathering and how he wished he was home, catching up on his sleep.

He knew there was a real reason why their most valued client had made this unannounced visit. The President wasn't the only one who was doing the visiting. This time, he had brought four of his staff members along with him, all eccentric and formidable as the leader himself. And Yukimura Sanada never made an ostentatious move without a reason.

"You seem deep in pensive thoughts Akira-kun," a handsome looking man placed a casual hand on Akira's shoulder.

Akira was quick in masking his surprise and abhorrence in being addressed and touched in such an informal manner. He very rarely allowed anyone past his comfort zone. But Yukimura Sanada often took these friendly liberties. Worse yet, Akira found himself caught off guard on more than one occasion by this deceptively playful president of the Sanada Corporation.

His intuition indicated that Yukimura held no malicious intent towards him. But there was something about this man that made him uneasy. Maybe because Yukimura was one of the few who had been able to nudge his usually cool and unmoving demeanor.

He wouldn't have been surprised if Yukimura and his entourage like staff were a part of a secret society of elite ninjas—weaving in and out of businesses, relentlessly taking over one company after another like thieves in the night.

Akira turned towards the owner of the genteel voice and responded to his inquiry, "Not at all, President Sanada. I was simply thinking about the reports I received this afternoon."

Yukimura offered him a light nod of approval and a chuckle. "Always in the business mode even in this festive environment. I'll go as far as to say you were the only one not listening to my story of Jinpachi's misadventures at the bar last week."

Akira secretly thanked his ability to process surrounding information while tuning out the rest of the world, "Of course I heard your witty story, President Sanada. I especially liked the part when he pretended he was a celebrity so they would forego the cover charge."

Yukimura grinned more fully now, "Ah yes Akira, that's why I hired your company--for your competent ability. You're smart, you know your business, infinitely polite, and multi-tasking. You never miss a beat my good man!" he punctuated his comment with a light slap on Akira's back.

Akira smiled back politely, "Thank you sir, but if I may ask, what is the real reason for your unannounced visit?"

Akira saw a knowing expression form on his face when all of a sudden, they heard a loud crash outside the room.

Shinrei, who was sitting nearest to the entrance, immediately stood up and opened the door to a chaotic scene of a waiter and a young woman along with what looked like the first course of their dinner splayed throughout the hallway of the restaurant floor.

Quick to recover from the display, Shinrei spoke out sternly, "What is the meaning of this?"

The waiter, apparently new on the job, was very much in panic mode. He stood up quickly and pointed a finger towards the startled female and accusingly voiced, "She ran into me sir!"

Yuya, who was still splayed unbecomingly on the floor, could only stutter in embarrassment, "I, I, I'm sorry. I was admiring this artwork while walking by when I accidentally tripped and ran into you."

"You certainly did run into me you clumsy girl! Now look what you've done! These dishes were supposed to be for the VIP's here!" The server pointed to the opened doorway which was now occupied by well dressed, curious looking business executives.

Yuya propped herself upright with the push of her palms and ignored the sting in her right hand. She bit back a biting retort saved for the rude waiter in her overwhelming need to take care of more urgent matters. She quickly stood up and bowed deeply toward the executives, "I apologize for ruining your dinner. I-"

The server interrupted, "You better be sorry!"

At her wits end, Yuya exploded, "Look, I apologized to you. You are unhurt and I am currently in the process of owning up to my responsibilities. I will compensate for the broken dishes as well as the food I've ruined. So the next plan of attack is solving the problem instead of griping and throwing a tantrum like a spoiled little child, do you hear me!?!"

Taken aback, the server backed off. Realizing only now the utter mess she had caused, the frustrated blond left the apology unchecked as she crouched down and started the process of picking up the pieces of broken plates off the floor.

The clientele under different stages of surprise, appalled, and amusement of the events taking place voicelessly stood still except for Yukimura who approached the kneeling girl and spoke to her in his melodic voice, "Here miss, a lady such as yourself in beautiful attire should not be sullying herself with such a task. My name is Yukimura Sanada and you-"

He was briefly disrupted by the annoying sound of the waiter who continued to mumble unpleasant expletives under his breath. Yukimura shot a demonic glare towards the waiter, "And I think," he commented in a lower tone that made Yuya's hair stand up on her neck, "it would be quite ungentlemanly of those involved to not offer a hand in the matter. Don't you think?" He punctuated the last sentence in a manner that motivated the waiter to quickly shut-up and aid her in the salvaging process.

Yuya peered up to the elite looking business man with the shoulder length black hair and dark blue eyes. He promptly switched back to his normal voice that seemed almost too soft and gentle for a man let alone a distinguished looking business executive. "I'm sorry for the interruption miss. Like I was saying, my name is Yukimura Sanada, and you are?"

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Sanada. My name is Yuya Shiina. Thank you for your offer of help but I'm doing fine on my own. Please don't trouble yourself."

"The cut on your hand tells me otherwise," he produced a handkerchief and promptly proceeded to wrap her hand with it.

She looked at her right hand that was now neatly bound in the silk cloth before she even had the chance to protest, "Uh. Thank you."

It took a total of six minutes to call for the manager in charge, have the restaurant staff members perform an efficient clean-up, and Yuya to provide an apologetic summary to wrap up the mystery of the first course destruction.

Once again, it was Yukimura that made the first move to lighten the serious situation, "So the conclusion is, it was only the salad course that went into ruins, no one was seriously hurt, and Miss Yuya here got to witness a beautiful painting." He glanced at Yuya sneaking a peak at the said artwork which had started the destructive chain reaction in the first place. She blushed at being caught and returned her attention to the proceedings.

Yukimura continued, "So all is well that ends well," and he added as an afterthought, "And please allow me to pay for the damages."

Akira, who had been closely observing the scene in the background spoke up without hesitation, "President Sanada, please do not trouble yourself with this." And he turned to the manager who was still seemed to be processing the whole event, "Please send the bill of the damages to our company's attention."

Yuya abruptly turned to the owner of the curt voice, and found herself looking into the most intense set of eyes she had ever encountered. Her breath hitched slightly at the sight of the handsome blond figure that accompanied the captivating ice blue eyes but very quickly recovered as she shoved the thought aside; remembering her indignance to his insensitive offer.

"There is no need for your money. I will be paying for the damages."

The said eyes were now completely focused on her as he countered without a pause, "Miss, I was simply trying to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. I would have thought that you might be agreeable to this accommodating gesture."

Once again, she refocused her mental soundness as she enunciated more loudly than she had intended to compensate for the unwanted distraction of his hypnotic stare, "I will be taking full responsibility for it. I don't need some rich, pompous executive or his company taking pity on me with his _accommodating gesture,_ do you understand?" Her green eyes burned bright with anger as she shook with emotion.

Akira regarded her for a moment with an unidentifiable expression followed by a short response, "Suit yourself miss." He then turned swiftly to the manager, "And I believe there are dinners to be prepared for us?"

"Of course sir, right away sir!" the server scuttled away, as did the manager, right before giving Yuya a glance and mumbling that he would speak to her later.

Everyone, including the business man with a chilly demeanor, turned away to head back into the private room. Only Yukimura remained, speaking to Yuya once more. "How is your hand?"

Yuya looked at her hand which was now tied neatly with his expensive looking handkerchief, "Oh, I'm fine, Mr. Sanada. And thank you for the handkerchief. It's got blood on it I'm afraid, so I would have to wash it before returning it to you or maybe I should just pay you for-"

"Please cease your offers of compensations. There is no need for that. What I was concerned about was the cut. It looked a bit deep and I wanted to make sure it was ok."

"Oh, it just stings a little but I've been keeping pressure on it and I think the bleeding has stopped."

He looked relieved, "Good. I'm glad you're ok. I apologize for what you had to go through."

"I'm fine, really."

Yukimura huffed lightly, "The nerve of that ungracious waiter being so rude as to complaining and placing the entire blame on you. It was quite unchivalrous of him."

Yuya smiled in amusement, "Well, I don't know about chivalry but I admit he was quite annoying and it doesn't take away from the trouble I caused here. "

"On the contrary, this is the most excitement I've had all day. And please keep the handkerchief," he took a card out of his front suit pocket and handed it to Yuya, "Here is my contact information should you experience any residual injuries or might want to contact me for any other reason. "

Before she could utter a surprised response to his overt friendliness, the door of the private room opened to a sight of a long haired man who had an aura of an overprotective bodyguard.

"Yukimura-sama."

The young president responded, "Very well, Saizo,"

Yuya spoke up first, "I won't detain you any longer from your dinner and I should be heading back to my table. Thank you again Mr. Sanada."

Yukimura bid her a good evening and walked graciously towards the doorway.

Before she turned to leave, she caught a sight through the opened doorway that made her breath hitch slightly once again. She couldn't have missed it if she tried. Those ice blue eyes that expressed so much yet revealed so little.

A force almost willed her to speak out to him. To say something… she didn't know what. And she thought better in the reality of the situation and instead gave him a piercing stare as if silently communicating that she wasn't intimidated by him.

She gave a polite bow towards the direction of Yukimura and his "bodyguard," turned on her heels, and started her way back to Mahiro. The owner of the said ice blue eyes briefly lingered on the retreating figure before closing the door and shoved away his niggling curiosity along with an unidentifiable twinge of emotion as he protectively enclosed himself back into his world.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N (11.23.04) – A cultural note about the name usage: In Japan, a person customarily introduces himself by his Surname first and his First Name second. For example, Yuya would introduce herself as Shiina Yuya and Yukimura would introduce himself as Sanada Yukimura.

The characters address each other on a first name basis in the SDK manga. In most cases, I will be following suit and will stick with the westernized First Name/Last Name format (hopefully a benefit to most readers).

Sometimes diminutive titles will be added to emphasize the state of the relationship between people. For example, in the polite form, Yuya could be addressed as Yuya-san or Miss Yuya.

When one is on more familiar terms with the other (friendship, close acquaintance, couples, family members) the first name could be used with or without a title, depending on the level of familiarity. For example, Yukimura at times adds titles like _–kun_ (Akira-kun) to stress informality or when Yuya jokingly adds the ending _–chan_ (Mahi-chan) to portray her sisterly affection towards Mahiro.

More specific explanation of some common Japanese titles:

**1- san **The universal title used amongst casual acquaintances, colleagues, and strangers

**2- sama **Title used when addressing someone with utmost respect or reverence. i.e. Yukimura-sama (Saizo's way of calling his boss/master).

**3- chan** Used when addressing younger females, or people of familiarity (i.e. Mahi-chan)

**4 - kun **Used when addressing younger males, or people of familiarity (i.e. Akira-kun) Yukimura often takes these liberties by addressing people this way to encourage camaraderie with everyone he meets, even his enemies. He does this sometimes to test the person's threshold or just to tease them.

Answers to a few questions:

Q: Who was the figure spying on Yuya?  
A: It's not Akira, but it is a character from the manga.

Q: Will there be love triangles and love twists?  
A: I don't know yet. Maybe.

Q: Will there be other SDK characters in this story?  
A: YES. As seen in this chapter, Yukimura, Shinrei and Saizo have been introduced. I plan on bringing in a few more characters as the story progresses.

One of the characters I am seriously considering is an obscure figure from the manga; an intriguing character in a discomforting sort of way. I better stop writing before I reveal too much…

**Thank you for your readership!**

**And a special ARIGATO to all the reviewers:**

**kazemar-kaemi****, Lady of Genesis, shadowcat15, Arin Ross, Ayumi Omoide, Happster360, Starian Princess, yami1, LadyWater2010, The Narrator, mystylady, Triste1, Kaze on uta, and Alyson Metallium**

**I was blown away from all the kind feedbacks and helpful critiques. Your reviews mean a lot to me and give me further inspiration to write. Thank you. -nekozuki**


	3. A Roomful of Denials

**TITLE:** TOUCH OF FAITH by: nekozuki1776

DRAMA/SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE

**CHAPTER RATING:** PG

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo anime, manga or any of its characters. Kamijyo Akimine is the true legal and spiritual owner.

* * *

**Touch of Faith**

**Chapter 3: A Roomful of Denials**

"Yuya, where have you been? The appetizer arrived ages ago and I was about to send a search party after you!"

"I'm really sorry Mahi. I ran into a little trouble."

"What happened?"

"Well, I was admiring a painting in the hallway when…"

-o-o-o-

The two women chatted spiritedly as they finished off their appetizer and salad. The older of the two listened in amusement as the other finished the accounts of her recent adventure in the restaurant hallway.

Mahiro chuckled. Only Yuya could make a simple trip to the restroom into a misbegotten adventure. But there was one interesting piece to the story that definitely piqued her interest.

"Hmm. I'm just curious about one thing Yuya, who is this blue eyed character that you speak so _fondly_ of?"

Sensing forthcoming entrapment, Yuya sat back quickly as she answered cautiously, "What do you mean?"

Her reaction to the instigating question was all Mahiro needed to continue the act as she displayed a look that spoke volumes, "Oh nothing. It's just that in your retelling of the events, you seemed the most animated in the part about the mysterious, hottie with the most striking ice blue eyes that you've ever seen."

Yuya sputtered, almost choking on the bread she was nibbling on. "I did not say it like that!"

"Not out loud but-"

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about. Like I said before, this person was, rude, callous, and nothing like the gentleman that helped me with the cut on my hand!" She lifted her wrapped hand to prove her point.

"As appreciative as I am of the person that was trying to protect you from the aftermaths of a minor cut, I can't help but observe President Sanada as a handkerchief donning gigolo who was trying to sweet talk his way into my sister's naïve little heart." Mahiro waved his business card in hand, allowing the scent of the designer cologne that emanated from it to float in her direction.

Yuya huffed arrogantly, trying to hide her embarrassment and awe of how accurately Mahiro was able to assess the personality of the admittedly overfriendly businessman. "He wasn't exactly like that."

Yuya then remembered to have the proper sense to be annoyed by the rest of Mahiro's statement, "And I am NOT naïve. I just tend to see the best in people. You said that was a good thing!"

Mahiro nodded, "True, which is why I find it curious of the negative commentary you're offering of him and the surprising number of times he seemed to have come up in your story considering your distaste for this man. He must have really made an impression on you."

On the verge of frustration overload, Yuya blurted out, "Let's not talk about this anymore, ok?" And as if a higher power was listening to her desperate plea, their main course arrived; forcing them to surrender to a temporary détente.

Mahiro observed her ward who was now scarfing down her dinner as if she hadn't eaten for days. While most of her teasings were done out of pure affection combined with a tiny bit of sadistic amusement, a small part of her wondered. It was quite obvious in her little sister's poor rendition of a poker face that this man had indeed captured her interest.

In the last ten minutes of her speaking, Mahiro had seen Yuya blush no less than three times, stutter in frustration mid-sentence twice and her bright jade eyes sparkle with an emotion she had never seen before.

She didn't have a problem with this, of course. If anything, Mahiro was relieved to see Yuya at least showing some evidence of what a normal eighteen year old should have been experiencing.

For the last four years they lived together, she had never raised any interest in boys, let alone go out on a date. With her studying, working, training, and helping to care for the home, she knew there wasn't much time left in her schedule for the social scene. Mahiro had hoped and even encouraged her to go out on numerous occasions but Yuya always brushed the question aside or simply smiled and stated there wasn't anyone in her life.

So it was with a sense of happiness and curiosity she looked forward to hearing more about the incorrigible, blue eyed man. He was obviously older than Yuya but according to her description, he didn't seem that much older; at least not as old as the hanky offering flirt, she bet.

Seeing that Yuya had long since surpassed her threshold for embarrassment, Mahiro reluctantly acquiesced in allowing her peace for now. She thought of encouraging Yuya to contact that Yukimura fellow to get through to the mystery man as her next course of action.

However, an image of the persistent president attempting further overtures on her innocent sibling nixed that notion as she decided it was best to let nature take its course rather than playing the overbearing cupid. Her rational sister would decide on her own accord if she waned to see him again.

When it came to discussing matters of the heart with Yuya, it was always best to give her all the facts to let her make sound judgments on her own cognition. Yuya always chose the wiser path as long as she was armed with the proper information and some guidance. And there had never been an occasion where Mahiro mislead her with an ill-gotten advice. For that matter, she couldn't think of a time when she kept important things from Yuya or blatantly lied to her.

With the exception of the investigation.

Mahiro was definitely walking a fine line with her secret rendezvous with the Detective. To be exchanging information regarding possible leads to Nozomu's killer without Yuya's knowledge was a potentially damaging act to their now close knit relationship.

She wondered if this was worth the risk as she sipped on her red wine, recalling this morning's meeting.

**-FLASHBACK-**

_"Hey."_

"O_n time as usual Detective."_

_The tall, black haired investigator approaching their usual table at the diner offered no verbal apology but an accommodating nod in her direction, "The chief was nagging me to have the paperwork filed on a longstanding case that was finalized yesterday." _

_She wondered if 'finalized' meant he had solved the case or it was abandoned due to one reason or another. She opted not to ask. "That's ok. I went ahead and ordered you a hearty breakfast."_

_Her eyes directed his attention to the cup of black coffee sitting demurely on the table. _

_He smiled. A smirk of a smile, but a smile nonetheless. It was rare for him to offer even that much of an emotion. Although she was initially put off by this man's demeanor when they met years ago, Mahiro soon got used to his neutral and oftentimes harsh character. She quickly learned that a genial personality mattered little when it came to being a street smart detective. She recognized him for the competent, justice driven man that he was--things that the previous detective on this case severely lacked. _

_The detective usually didn't say much and only answered when spoken to. He was pensively quiet but always observing. He rarely offered help, but was infinitely dedicated to a cause when he did. _

_And he had offered. _

_Soon after Nozomu's case was placed on the backburner as "indefinitely unsolvable," it was he who had initiated the series of meetings to discuss any possible leads offline--official or unofficial—to solve this case. _

_Mahiro didn't ask for an explanation of why he was helping. She learned long ago that when fate decides to offer you a hand, one should eagerly take it—even if it came in the form of a rough edged detective with a hell of vigilante streak. _

_He took a sip of his slightly cooled brew and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Mind if I smoke?"_

_It was Mahiro's turn to smirk, "You ask me this every time and you know my answer. You're a big boy. You do what you want." _

_He countered in a sardonic tone, "Thought I'd ask, you being a doctor and all."_

_"Then you won't mind me telling you that cigarettes kill."_

_"Everyone dies, Doc. I just want to have a hand in mine."_

_"Then must you have a hand in my death?"_

_"Hey Doc, you think second hand smoke is any worse than the crappy pollution we got going on outside? At least I've got the decency to blow smoke away from you."_

_She shook her head in exasperation wanting to sternly rebuttal all the wrongs with his pathetic argument. His statement didn't hold water and he knew it. He puffed away her warnings without lament while having his fun testing the young doctor. They went through this song and dance every time. _

_She had remarked the effects of cigarettes the first few meetings in all the seriousness of her command until it soon became an integral opening to their every meeting. After months of the same biting dialogue, it almost had a comforting effect to now be able to banter with this usually unresponsive detective. _

_"Any results from the leads we discussed last?"_

_"No."_

_Mahiro sighed. Another meeting filled with nil results. She was getting tired of all the dead ends. It really felt as though the killer had never existed. But she knew the "it" was out there. That sword wielding murderer who left what could only be described as a professional hit on her best friend. _

_"But I have a new lead that might have some promise." He hesitated before going on, "I don't know if you're ready to hear this."_

_The detective's hesitancy brought Mahiro out of her straying thoughts. He rarely staggered when speaking. "I'm listening." _

_"Rumor on the streets is that there's an elite group that's supposedly endowed with certain… supernatural powers."_

_Mahiro blinked once, then a second time before responding, "What?"_

_He continued, "Look, I know this sounds ridiculous but there's been a few unexplainable incidents occurring in the city lately and I feel like it somehow points to this mysterious group."_

_"What unexplainable incidents?"_

_"Like darkness falling in the back alley in the middle of the day. Only to realize that certain stores within that area was completely cleaned out of their merchandise by the time it becomes light again."_

_"Grand theft under heavily overcast weather?" she suggested. _

_"I wish it was that simple. I know that's what everyone else saw it as but there was strange evidence that pointed to something else." He stopped; displaying another one of his rarely seen hesitant expressions. _

_"Go on," she coaxed._

_"I felt an evil presence during my investigation at the site."_

_"Evil presence?__ Like an aura?"_

_Seemingly reassured by her show of curiosity rather than the expected ridicule to the less than scientific experience, the detective continued, "It was this dark, heavy feeling as if my instincts had kicked in, warning me that something was severely screwed up with this whole affair. But the real kicker is that this feeling was very similar to the presence I felt at the place of Nozomu's murder four years ago."_

_He sighed darkly, as if reliving the event and continued with his explanation, "There's also been a higher than average number of missing persons and deaths in the neighborhood where the incident took place. It hasn't been publicized as much because most of the bodies were identified as homeless citizens. The deaths have been attributed to natural cause or sickness due to the harsh outdoor conditions but I'm not entirely convinced."_

_Mahiro stopped to consider his statement. As a doctor, she had always been taught to rely on scientific evidence in seeking solutions. A system of analytical thinking with the use of empirical data had always given her the needed tools to resolve the many challenges that came up in her line of work._

_But as a person who relied on her instincts in facing the more challenging events in her life, she was also a firm believer in the exceptions to the rule. _

_In the journey of life there are many paths--scientific and not so scientific-- each which carry its own advantages depending on the situation at hand. The important part was knowing which path to take._

_"I see," Mahiro replied. "So what are you doing to investigate this matter and what can I do to help?" _

_"I'm keeping an extra close eye on the area while placing more security there. And the next time an unusual death occurs, I want to ask you for your assistance in performing an independent autopsy."_

_She was undaunted by his straightforward request. She knew that 'independent' meant carrying this out in the strictest of confidence. His grave tone indicated suspect of possible corruption within his network that might eventually lead to the identity of Nozomu's killer. As a long shot as it might be, she trusted his instincts and thus didn't require further insistence. In all the times they've known each other, he had never asked her for this type of help before and it was all she needed for now to comply. _

_"Fine.__ You know what my new hours are. Just try to work around it so we don't raise any suspicions, alright?"_

_He nodded and changed to a less serious tone as he broached a new topic. _

_"She called me the other day."_

_"Yuya?"_

_"Yes. I told her there weren't any new leads."_

_"That's not entirely the truth."_

_"So you wanted me tell her about this?"_

_"…No. Things are going really well for her now. The last thing I want to do is to have potentially baseless leads giving her false hope like it did so many times in the past. I also don't want her in any danger." _

_He nodded, giving her a look of agreement in her decision. "Interesting thing though."_

_"What?"_

_"She seemed less persistent than usual. Almost as though she was resigned in giving up or…"_

_"Or what?"_

_"I don't know. She just didn't seem entirely herself. Not in a bad way. Just not herself."_

_"Well, she was nervous about her first day of school."_

_"Hm."_

_"There's something you're not telling me here Detective."_

_"I'm sure it's nothing." _

_Not convinced of his answer, she restated her sister's continuing determination, "Yuya has always been reckless with anything concerning Nozomu. It's the only topic I have difficulty approaching her freely about without having the conversation go awry. She is so practical and rational on so many levels but at the mere mention of Nozomu, everything changes about her." _

_She closed her eyes in slight pain, remembering the last conversation she had on this delicate topic when Yuya's eyes turned a dangerous dark green as her expression turned to one of sadness followed by a distinct feature of cold, steeled anger. "If this isn't an example of the Pavlonian effect, I don't know what is."_

_"Interesting analysis.__ Does she also drool, Doc?"_

_Mahiro threw him a glaring look, "I'm serious Detective… And how many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me Doc?"_

_"When you stop calling me Detective."_

_She huffed haughtily in response. _

_"The kid's got a good head on her shoulders. I'm sure she won't do anything extreme."_

_"Like you?"_

_He offered her a lift of the brow, not denying her accusation, "That's different. My profession calls me to do extreme things. The outcome of a situation depends on how I handle it. And since most issues I deal with are unpredictable and potentially dangerous, I'm always poised to handle scenarios which call for extreme measures." _

_"Who's doing the analyzing now, **Detective**?"_

_"Takes one to know one, **Doc**."_

_Considering the discussion closed, he stood up, dropped a few bills on the table and headed towards the exit._

_"…**Kyo**?"_

_Undaunted by the sound of his name, the detective seamlessly replied, his back still facing the inquiring doctor, "Yes?"_

_She had to ask. After all these years, she wanted to have some sign for the sake of her sanity that all this wasn't in vain; that it was ok to place some faith in this man._

_"The longstanding case that closed this morning… does that mean you solved it?"_

_The tall detective turned around slightly, offering her a knowing smirk, " I always deliver what I promise, **Mahiro**."_

**-END FLASHBACK-**

She sighed into her now empty wine glass. Although the one information that might lead to the mysterious group that Kyo mentioned seemed to hold some promise, she wasn't going to get her hopes up yet. Every time they were presented with a potential lead, it always lead to a dead end.

A soft voice now absent of the previously embarrassed tone interrupted her thoughts. "Hey Mahi, you've barely touched the chicken marsala, you want me to help you with it?" A fork headed in the direction of Mahiro's plate and pronged a bite-size piece of the chicken.

Mahiro retaliated by taking a bigger than bite-size piece of Yuya's fish. "Mmm. Because I was waiting to have a taste of that." She smiled as she successfully parried another thrust of the other's fork and contentedly proceeded with her chicken.

-o-o-o-

A more subdued group of people located on the other side of the same restaurant sat down to a delayed start of their first course.

"We apologize for the unexpected interruption President Sanada."

"Oh, a little excitement isn't bad, is it Akira-kun?" Yukimura winked and smiled, taking a sip of his vodka on the rocks.

"It was quite an unnecessary disturbance to say the least. And the rambunctious girl only made the situation worse."

"On the other hand," Yukimura countered. "I think it was the waiter that made the situation worse, not the fair maiden Miss Yuya."

He placed the glass back on the table after another satisfying sip and continued, "He was rude, ungentlemanly and quiet a cad in many ways. As an employee of the restaurant and as a male, he should have not given her any moment of disrespect or discomfort, even by chance that it was her fault. Frankly, the bumbling waiter looked like the clumsier one so I'm not even convinced it was her fault."

Yukimura paused momentarily, continuing to address the unchanging countenance of the man before him.

"In addition, I respect a person who takes responsibilities for her actions—admits when she is wrong and makes things right."

He took a marked pause and added, "And there was something else about her."

Akira didn't want to pursue the obvious trap but there was a similar thought niggling at the back of his mind that insisted he continue this unwanted conversation. Fortunately, the curious inquiry of the man accompanying Yukimura saved him from the task.

"What do you mean, Yukimura-sama?"

"Well Saizo, it was the art piece that started the whole chain of events. That particular piece is a print created from a Japanese artist of the early 1800's. He was especially known for his wood-block paintings. She seemed so enchanted by it. Not many people these days, let alone a young woman find this type of art intriguing anymore."

Akira made a subtle gesture, shrugging off the praise, "Sir, I believe that most people, even from her generation, has been taught the works of Hokusai."

"Ah yes, you're probably right about that. However, she wasn't viewing the artwork as if in some passing recollection of her high school art appreciation class. Her lingering expression appeared as though she really understood the piece, as if she could insert herself into the work."

Yukimura smiled as he went on, "And if I were you, I wouldn't be so quick in putting down her generation. If I'm not mistaken, Miss Shiina isn't that much younger than you, Akira-kun."

Akira quelled his growing annoyance towards the ninja like president. Yukimura was observantly smart. No, he was a genius. His seemingly easygoing veneer was only the surface which covered his deeper underlying motives. He was a passionate and viciously ambitious man that allowed no one to get in the way of his goals. And when it pleased him to do so, Yukimura easily switched off his vicious side and turned on his infamous charm to beckon an unsuspecting woman into his lair.

Like her.

Akira berated himself as he willfully refused to think any more of that obstinate woman. He assured himself the only reason she was on his mind was because that lecherous president continually invaded his psyche with praises of how the world would be a better place if populated with fair, honorable ladies such as Miss Yuya.

What a load of nonsense.

Akira was irritated by the man's words. Yukimura had barely met her let alone be able to go on an endless diatribe of extolling the virtues of the _fair maiden_. Unlike the flirtatious president, Akira was never one to seek attention by overtly playing the heroic savior to the damsel in distress. And by the sincere smile she offered for his help, she seemed extremely grateful. A smile that needlessly lingered through his mind, his thoughts, and his dinner.

And it irritated him all the more.

-o-o-o-

The rest of dinner took place uneventfully without incident. It was with a welcome relief Akira arrived home to what he suspected would be another night of restless slumber.

He heard the melodious sound of the grand piano wafting through the hallway as he stepped into his home. He followed the music through the living room where a blond man sat in the corner of the room; his fingers dancing skillfully over the ivory keys. Akira seated himself on the adjacent leather couch and propped his feet on the ottoman as he allowed himself to enjoy the music.

Another few minutes passed when the talented musician concluded his performance and without turning to the intruder, he announced coolly, "I almost managed not to hear you."

Akira retorted, "With all the noisy racket you're making, there's not much of a chance in tuning you out."

"Hell of a lot better than the crap you spout off to your clients."

"Up yours, Hotaru"

"Right back at you, Akira."

They looked at each other, chuckled, and fell into a companionable dialogue.

"I don't think I've heard this piece before. Is it new?"

"Yup."

"When does it go public?"

"In a few weeks. It's being released about the same time with the start of the tour."

"Not a bad piece. The last part was deceptively calming."

He gave him a cryptic grin. "Thanks."

If there was one person that lead more of a guarded life than Akira, it was his roommate, Hotaru. A private person by nature, it was only after years of acquaintanceship did the two form a gradual friendship. He, like Akira, was very cautious of who he let in his personal life.

Although they shared the lavishly furnished, luxury condo provided by Hotaru's production label as part of his recording contract, their busy schedules rarely allowed for a decent conversation.

"You look like hell Akira. What happened?"

His roommate was never one to mince words. Akira shot him a peeved look, not offering a reply.

"You haven't been sleeping well lately, have you?"

"…"

"You can keep quiet all you want, but you know we both have the ability to sense it. I usually don't like to pry but there's something different about you tonight more than your standard grumpiness and sleepless agitation."

Still unrelenting, Akira simply answered in a punctuated reply, "Just had a tough day at work, that's all."

"Ah, I see." Not fooled in the least, Hotaru played along to continue the dialogue, "I don't know how you do it. All that corporate mumbo jumbo. Catering to every beck and call of the client. Agh."

"There's more to it than that and you know it." Akira said, inwardly wondering if there was. "Anyway, you wouldn't last a day in the corporate world."

"And I wouldn't want to. You know all I want to do is to perform."

Hotaru had been a gifted pianist since he was a toddler. Many dubbed him as a prodigy during his childhood. But what made Hotaru so special was his eclectic singing voice along with his playing talent. He had a powerful, husky voice that accompanied well with the piano.

Readily going against his family's wishes as well as sacrificing his household name to earn a living as a musician, he dropped his given name of Keikoku Taishirou and started playing in smaller jazz clubs throughout the city under his new alias, Hotaru. After three struggling years, he was recruited by a major record label.

His exotic good looks and his mysterious demeanor only heightened the popularity of his singing and playing talent. The fact Hotaru seemed quite oblivious of possessing these desirable traits made his style of music even more attractive to a new generation of demographics that normally swarmed around music more popular to the their time and age.

The 26 year old was now quite content in reaching the pinnacle of his music career without the influence of the family name and fortune.

Although Hotaru and Akira had very little in common and did not interact as most friends did, it was obvious they held a strong respect and a level of concern for each other's well being. Hotaru was one of the very few people in his life that fit in Akira's circle of trust as he had in Hotaru's.

"Something good happened to you today?"

Jolted by the rhetorical remark, all Akira could do was to stare at the musician in an undisguised surprise.

"I knew it. I sensed something from you. Definitely a mixture of emotions."

Akira offered him a weary glance, not looking forward to the next inevitable question.

"So what's her name?"

"…"

-o-o-o-

The annoying sounds of the early morning construction and the chirping birds invaded his senses, failing to block them out during his early morning run.

He was particularly moody this morning because the workout facility in his complex was closed for a few days due to maintenance and he was left with the sole alternative of taking his exercise routine outdoors.

It had been a tough rest of the week at work. Although the Sanada Corp's visit had gone relatively well, Yukimura as to form requested a nearly impossible task that lead him to heading a month's worth of research to be compiled and reported within the week for a new proposed project. A project he didn't want to think about at the moment.

It also didn't help that an image of a certain hot tempered woman kept disrupting his mind at the most unexpected moments--further agitating his normal regimen.

He cursed inwardly, willing to sprint off his unwanted thoughts as he determinedly rounded the corner for his final lap around the block-

_Thud _

And ran smack into the arms of a headphoned, pony tailed blond with the most intense pair of green eyes he had ever seen--for the second time this week.

**-o-o-o-o-o-o-**

**A/N (****01/04/05** – Whew. Most of the major players have been introduced. More excitement to come as the villains start making themselves known. Sorry for the long wait between chapters.

And thank you for taking the time to read.

Responses to reviews from the previous chapter : I will try to respond individually in this fashion every few chapters or so when I'm not summarizing about one thing or another. I'm not very good at this sort of thing so please bear with me.

**Triste1** – Although FF managed to lose your review, please know that I did receive and read your feedback. Your constructive points as well as an objective view were very much appreciated. More of the "spy scene" type of action you mentioned will be coming up very soon. Thank you for your kind words and support and here's hoping to no more MIA reviews.

**Starian Princess** – Glad you liked my version of Yukimura in this story. He'll get more fun and mischievous as the story goes on so be ready! I hope you liked this chapter with Kyo in it. I'm still pondering on the love triangle thing but there will definitely be some love twists. Thank you for your feedback. BTW - Although your review didn't get deleted like some of the others, it was shuffled to another page – strange things happened during FF's upgrading process. Ah, the volatile wonder that is the internet…

**Lady of Genesis** – /Smirk/ You're right about the usage of the title, –kun. I was only thinking of the standard form but I forgot it could also be used to describe dominance between two people. I better stop before my mind starts drifting towards the prohibited… /oops too late/.

**Alyson Metallium** – You are so kind in all your feedbacks. Your spirited reviews always make me smile a little more than usual. I am relieved that you find the characters in this story "true to their manga selves." I'm glad you also found Yukimura was in character. He will be making more appearances in the future to make the situation more interesting (or complicated). Thank you for all your support in this story as well as my other SDK stories.

**autumnwind** – I appreciate your interest in this story. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

**Ayumi Omoide** – Arigato for your kind words and glomps! Your animated reviews are always uplifting and fun to read. There will definitely be more interactions between Akira and Yuya next chapter. And stay tuned for some love twists…

**yami1** – Thank you! I'm glad you like the story so far.

**Dagorwen of Ithilien** – I hope you enjoyed this update. Arigato for your patience.

**The Narrator** – Glad to read your reaction of Shinrei. I love the affect he has on people. His personality just screams sadistic, doesn't it? He's a deep character that I would like to explore more in another story. Regarding the issue of Akira not being blind – I debated quite a bit before introducing Akira as he is in this story. He is not blind but is virtually blind in his right eye. The abuse he endured in the past has lead him to pursue different types of training disciplines to compensate for his visual impairment. More about this will be covered in the story. I know this story's character deviates from the blind Akira but I hope I don't disappoint. Arigato for all your support in my stories!

**Aeris** – It always feels great when a Kyo/Yuya shipper enjoys my work. I am a supporter of Kyo/Yuya pairing myself but I love exploring the what-if's of alternate couplings. I hope this story continues to capture your interest.

**Arin Ross** – Arigato for your nice review. I am relieved to know that a devotee of SDK such as yourself see the characters in sync with those in the manga. Thank you also for all your kind reviews in my SDK stories as well as your interest in the Akira/Yuya pairing. I also plan on writing stories containing other alternative pairings. (But I think Akira/Yuya will continue to be my favorite.)

**Shiseiten Hikari** – Thank you for your support fellow Akira/Yuya fan! I am looking forward to the next chapter in your story.

**mandeleigh**– I'm happy that you like this AU and you find them in character. It's very important for me to keep them in line with the original manga. I hope you like what I have in store for all of them—especially Akira and Yuya.

Thank you all and Happy New Year!


	4. Enter the Catalyst

**TITLE:** TOUCH OF FAITH by: nekozuki1776

DRAMA/SUPERNATURAL/ROMANCE

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Samurai Deeper Kyo anime, manga or any of its characters. Kamijyo Akimine is the true legal and spiritual owner.

**CHAPTER 4 RATING: PG -13 Violence and strong language**

* * *

Touch of Faith

Chapter 4: Enter the Catalyst

_This has got to be a dream. _

Life had been fairly accommodating for Yuya this week despite the incident at the restaurant several days ago. She was acclimating to her classes, the part-time job was going well and the private investigator she had hired was following up on a possible lead. It was only fitting for Murphy's Law to abruptly disturb her peaceful week.

The disturbance came charging in her direction in the form of someone who had been frequenting her thoughts over the last few days.

That arrogant, incorrigible figure of a man whose light blue eyes continued to bore into her soul to the depths she could only imagine. The figure who now sat on the concrete ground looking dazed from the unexpected collision.

It was with these conflicting emotions she pleaded in a mantra-like state.

_Please let this be a dream. _

-o-o-o-

_He thought he was dreaming. _

The last action he recounted before dizziness set in was slamming into an obstacle after rounding the corner for his final lap of his morning run. And then he saw it. A brilliant pair of jade coalescing with spins of gold.

A blanket of warmth overwhelmed him as he became mesmerized by the emerald pools. He unconsciously reached out to the golden strands and felt a sense of contentment.

He sluggishly remembered walking under guidance towards an ethereal voice; away from the piercing light into a cooler, less obtrusive surrounding. The series of slow and deliberate moves were followed by a gentle assistance to the comforting surface of a couch. His mind became muddled with a million thoughts and focused on one as he fell into a peaceful slumber.

-o-o-o-

"I think he's waking up."

A clinical tone responded to a concerned one, "Let me see to him."

Akira shot up with a start, which he later looked back on as not the most logical move on his part. The owner of the clinical voice quickly supported his body back down to the prone position. His body severely ached in addition to his head feeling like it was filled with cotton.

"Take it easy," a voice said reassuringly. "You're in a safe place. How are you feeling?"

He looked around to what looked like a living room of a home and responded defensively to the stranger, "What… Where am I? Who are you?"

A soothing voice coaxed him in a knowing manner, "My name is Mahiro Muramasa. I'm a doctor at Touhoku Hospital." She stopped and presented him with her ID to confirm her statement.

"About an hour ago, you took a fall in front of our apartment building. You are currently in our home. I was going to call an ambulance but my sister informed me that you didn't take a serious fall nor did you hit your head so I made a quick assessment on the premises. You weren't suffering from any serious injuries so I brought you here."

She paused for a moment to allow the information to sink in before continuing.

"My preliminary check-up shows that you only sustained some cuts, scrapes, and bruises from your fall." She pointed to his arm. "My sister went ahead and bandaged your arms."

"You weren't unconscious, just sleeping quite soundly. I personally think you are suffering from exhaustion more than anything. But just to be on the safe side, I would like for you to come to the hospital for some tests to make sure you didn't sustain any internal injuries."

Allowing his guard to lower a notch, Akira spoke up, "I appreciate your help but is it necessary for me have to have these tests performed today?"

"I think it would be wise to do so. I want to make sure that this is a standard case of sleep deprivation and nothing else. In fact, I recommend that you take the day off from work to get yourself some much needed rest. I have to leave soon for work so you can come to the hospital with me. I'll personally administer the tests so you won't be held up any longer than necessary. I can also place a call to your employer to excuse you from work today."

Akira sat in disguised surprise at the doctor's generous offer. He couldn't think of any reason why she would go out of her way like this, yet, her sincere aura indicated that she was genuinely concerned and held no ulterior motives. He wasn't accustomed to this type of random kindness and frankly didn't know how to handle it.

He carefully thought through his next course of action and at last relented.

"Alright, if that is what you think is best. Thank you Dr. Muramasa. But a call to my place of work will not be necessary. I will take care of that."

She smiled. "Sounds good. Feel free to call me Mahiro though, ok?" She smiled and turned around to speak to the figure behind her. "Hey sis, would you mind taking care of things here while I clean up and get ready for work?"

A soft voice responded to the doctor, "Ok."

The sound of the timid voice hit him. The fuzzy world in his delayed state of mind suddenly became very clear. Expressive green eyes. Blond tendrils falling lightly from her loosened ponytail.

Yuya Shiina.

_Shit. He wasn't dreaming._

The nervous looking figure approached him as closely as she would allow. "How are you feeling?"

"I've had better days but I am feeling better than before." He unconsciously rubbed his bandaged forearms not knowing what else to do.

"I hope the bandages aren't too tight."

Akira looked up in realization. "You treated my wounds."

She fidgeted under his scrutiny. "Just the cuts and scrapes on your arms." Suddenly feeling insecure of her handiwork, Yuya blurted out, "Don't worry, I've done this many times helping Mahi out with her volunteer work at the shelter."

Akira inspected the bandages wrapped securely around his arms. "I didn't mean… I meant… Thank you."

The piercing sound of the whistling tea kettle blessedly interrupted the awkward dialogue.

"Uhm, excuse me. I'm going to prepare some tea. I'll be right back."

She stumbled hurriedly out of the room before he could reply.

Akira released the breath he didn't realize he was holding and rubbed his temple trying to stave off the headache that threatened to turn into a migraine. Of all people, why did he have to run into her? He wasn't a believer of karma but incidents like these had him wondering if he should be taking a second look.

He would never admit to it but he was dreading and hoping for another encounter with her. His actions towards her that evening had been niggling at his mind much more than it should have and he had a hard time deciphering the reasons for what he did.

A conversation with Hotaru several nights ago forced Akira to revisit the incident over and over in his mind. It frustrated him that his roommate was able to point out his wrongs more succinctly than he could.

**-FLASHBACK-**

_"So you announced to pay for the costs of the damage in front of her and everyone else at your fancy, corporate dinner outing?"_

_A nod._

_"And knowing you of course, I'm sure you did so in such a warm and compassionate manner that won the hearts of millions including the lady in question."_

_"…" An annoyed grunt. _

_"Why didn't you just offer her a tin can filled with gold coins labeled 'charity case' in an auditorium filled with your clientele?"_

_Unaffected by his roommate's flair for the dramatic, Akira responded with unsurprising glibness, "And your point is?"_

_"Hn.__ For a genius, you sure are a dolt."_

_Stiffness laced his tone. "Excuse me?" _

_"I know you intentionally distance yourself from others for your own reasons but this is a new record, even for you."_

_"It's not as if she was free of fault. And I don't think it was a bad thing to help out and save us from all the hassle."_

_"That's not the point Akira. While I see your need to practice the take-names-and-kick-ass methods in the professional world, I never knew you to be intentionally condescending towards a person outside your corporate hunting field. And even by chance you truly did want to spare her from the financial burden, there are more appropriate ways you could have gone about it and you know it."_

_"This is coming from a person who set fire to a designer coat some persistent fan girl tried to give you."_

_"Touché.__ But we're not talking about my lack of social grace right now."_

_"So I'm not overflowing with human kindness. I can live with that. And anyway, I'll never see her again so why should I care?" _

_"There's something else going on here, Akira. I can't place my finger on it but I know you sense it."_

_"No there isn't." _

_"Then why do you sound so unconvinced?"_

_"…"_

**-END FLASHBACK-**

Damn his luck for letting himself get distracted and running into her. Damn his luck for nearly falling unconscious in front of her apartment complex.

Damn Hotaru for his insight.

He knew his behavior that night was not his proudest of moments. He was normally distant but never intentionally hurtful. But somehow, her presence knocked the equilibrium out of his normally subdued life. He couldn't comprehend the immediate effect she had on him and he responded to this disturbance with the only way he knew how: with robotic efficiency topped off with a more than usual chilly demeanor.

He set aside the social deficiency analysis and decided that he needed to clear the air before any further conversation took place. The tension between them was stifling. He wasn't the only one feeling uncomfortable.

A soft patter of the footsteps across the hardwood floor interrupted his thoughts. Seemingly more composed, Yuya returned carrying a tray of tea cups along with a plateful of muffins and a bowl of sliced apples, bananas and peeled oranges.

"I hope you like orange pekoe. It's not caffeinated and I find it more soothing than most teas. Here are some fruits and muffins just in case you're hungry."

Akira observed in fascination the cornucopia set before him as he sipped his tea. The citrus aroma mixed with the bittersweet taste was soothing to his stressed system. He ignored the edibles as he strategically wondered how to embark on the unspoken topic.

Before he could say anything, Yuya spoke out, "I don't know if you remember me, but I met you the other night at Riccardo's.

He instinctively responded with a neutral expression and tone, "Yes I do. It was an _interesting_ meeting if I do recall."

The need to reclaim her shred of dignity from the memorable event momentarily dominated her concern for the injured party. Yuya couldn't help but to retort sarcastically, "Yes, and your generous bout of altruism brought it to even more _interesting_ heights."

Akira took a marked pause, breathed deeply, and looked directly into her eyes. "Miss Shiina."

Caught once again, like a deer in front of headlights, she set aside her curiosity of how he knew her name and squeaked out a response, "Y-Yes?"

"I realize that my action that evening at the restaurant was rude and uncalled for. In my need to settle the situation expediently and to prevent my client from picking up the responsibility of paying, my words and my tone insinuated things that I had never meant. I apologize for any discomfort or embarrassment I might have caused you. It was never my intention to do so."

Taken aback by his sudden apology, all Yuya could do was to momentarily stare at the figure before her. As formalized as it sounded, she couldn't help but note the sincerity in his tone and offered up her olive branch, "That's ok. I think I might have overreacted a bit too. I hope I didn't ruin your dinner meeting."

"The dinner was delayed by only fifteen minutes and the rest of the evening went smoothly."

Not knowing what else to say to the settled matter, Yuya opted to relax with a more disarming topic, "I don't think I caught your name."

Sighing inwardly in relief at the conclusion of his awkward apology, he answered, "Akira Mura."

"How did you know my name Mura-san?"

Cursing silently at his previous knee jerk reaction in calling out a name he was supposed to not know, he managed a smooth reply, "President Sanada, the man who I believe assisted you, mentioned your name on a few occasions." It was true. The persistent president had brought her name up much more than a few occasions and had not helped in his efforts to drive her out of his mind.

Not knowing what to say to his statement, Yuya simply replied, "Oh. Well ok then. Please feel free to call me Yuya."

Infinitely relieved with her willingness to focus on another topic, he nodded, "And likewise Yuya-san, please call me Akira."

Yuya had a feeling that he did not frequently offer friendly gestures such as this. She couldn't help but to make use of his goodwill. She looked to Akira for the first time with a sense of comfort and smiled, "Thank you, Akira-san."

Akira ignored the quickening of his pulse in hearing his name being spoken out loud. He looked away from the captivating expression that once again touched his soul. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple in combined pain and exhilaration at the emotions overwhelming his senses.

Mistaking this gesture as a sudden relapse of an earlier occurrence, Yuya rushed up to him without thinking.

And tripped.

Immediately following her foot catching at the leg of the coffee table, she toppled head first, her body angling towards the couch. Or more specifically, angling towards the figure who was sitting on the said couch.

Akira quickly stood up in front of her to support her from falling. Under normal circumstances, he would have easily been able to do so without any problems, but due to his discombobulated state, his legs unexpectedly gave out and caused his knees to buckle.

In his last desperate attempt to catch her from falling completely on him, he repositioned his weakened legs against the couch with little success. He then tried to pry her away from his falling body but failed to do so as Yuya unconsciously clung on to him. He instinctively wrapped his arms to shield her and expectantly fell onto the mass of pillows and cushions.

The simultaneous cries of "oh no" and "oof" faded away to dead silence as Akira found himself in a position that was nothing short of awkward… and intense. His breath came out sharply as her face pressed firmly into the crook of his neck, forcing soft lips to touch his skin. The puffs of hot air she breathed into the sensitive juncture above his collar bone was almost unbearable. Warm fingertips still grasping at his shirt pressed firmly against his chest. The stimulus felt like a rush of cold air in midst of a lit match searing into his skin. An intoxicating fragrance of fresh citrus emanated from her breathing space into his.

It was all Akira could do to keep himself from outwardly reacting to the overwhelming senses. He spoke in a calm tone laced with slight frustration, "Are you alright?"

The world stood still for another two seconds until Yuya came out of her frozen state and she realized how her body was now flush against his.

She managed to gasp out, "Y-Yes. I'm ok. I'm sorry!"

He was now aware of the warmth emanating from her body, or maybe his, he could no longer tell the difference. He felt his breath quicken and knew he had reached a limit. "That's alright Yuya-san, but it might be best for you to get off of me..."

"Oh!" Pink hue dusted her cheeks as she pushed off the back cushion and stepped away. She quickly formed a polite distance from him and attempted to regain some modicum of dignity.

"I am really, really sorry about this Akira-san! You must think I'm so clumsy!"

Trying to cover up his own embarrassment, he smiled lightly and attempted a lighthearted comment, "Well I have to say, every meeting with you has involved some sort of collision or another."

The light dusting was now a full blown blush on her entire face. "I-I know, I know! My brother always said I was never the graceful sort." She stopped suddenly, as if balking at her own words. Then realization of a more urgent matter instigated the change of subject. She looked at him anxiously and voiced her concern. "Enough about me, are you ok? I didn't hurt you, did I?" She looked frantic, nervous and embarrassed at the same time.

He offered her a cavalier wave of the hand and shook his head in the negative. "Nothing seems broken. No harm done." He allowed a slight smile of reassurance and seated himself back on the couch.

Yuya sat down on a chair opposite the couch, stared at her feet, and nervously sipped her tea.

Akira picked up an orange wedge and consumed it in contemplative silence.

-o-o-o-

A mysterious figure smoking a cigarette sat on the only chair located in the sparsely furnished room. The room resembled a dungeon with stone walls and floor and only tiny windows located high right below the ceiling.

The smoke he exhaled made a wispy trail in the dank environment, further clouding his enigmatic presence. A young soldier kneeled before the sitting figure as if genuflecting before the king. The "king" held a lackadaisical demeanor, wearing a playful expression that belied the boiling anger rising within him.

And he was feeling anything but playful.

All his previous euphoria was now tarnished by the incompetent act of the soldier who looked blissfully ignorant of the tragedy that was about to befall upon him.

The formidable man addressed the lowered figure in a disturbingly neutral tone, "So you have returned, Kappa."

"Yes my Lord."

He smiled wickedly, coaxing his minion on like a serpent easing an apple on an unsuspecting subject. "And what of it? Tell me what I need to know."

"My Lord, she had no unusual activity last night and nothing unusual this morning. She just went on her usual morning jog. She has a boring and predictable routine." The soldier managed a slight snort of amusement at his own remark.

The mirth failed to penetrate the other. "…Tell me more of her jogging routine."

"In accordance with her usual schedule, Friday is her jogging day so I followed through her customary route and left when she neared home. That was all sir."

Thin dark eyes narrowed to slits as he glared. "What do you mean you _left when she neared home_? Is that all you have to say?"

The kneeling figure quivered in fear as his lord began to let loose a small taste of his incensed aura. "My Lord, she always jogs alone and she did not come in contact with anyone. And since she was following her normal route, I thought it was safe so I left as she was heading back towards her apartment complex. There was nothing more to observe so I decided to head back as soon as possible to prepare for my report."

"So not only did you fail to see your job to the end, you also abandoned your reconnaissance post before the next shift arrived to relieve you?"

The recipient of the unsatisfactory report continued his speech, the grin on his lips twisting further into a wiry sneer, "You are a member of an the elite Goyousei force. That means you follow all orders to the precise degree as it is given to you. In my organization, there is no room for thinking outside the parameters. There will be no _deciding_ to do as you please, do you understand me?"

His voice had risen another few levels by then as he proceeded to grasp the quaking soldier by the neck with one hand and pulled him up effortlessly off the ground. He continued to glare without missing a beat. The soldier gasped, searching for a correct reply but was interrupted by the impatient man.

"Do you know _the power_ awoke this morning?"

The soldier visibly paled. "N-no, sir, I didn't realize-"

"She made contact with the catalyst and you missed it. All of it."

"S-sir, I apologize. I'm sorry. This will never happen-"

"You're right it won't happen again. I won't tolerate further disobedience from you. If you can't follow one simple order, you are no longer of any use to me." The man tightened his hold on the neck, ignoring the choking gasps of the victim who still attempted to struggle out his apologies.

The terrible fury hidden behind the thin comical veneer was released in a painfully drawn out manner as his killing chi started swirling in the already stifling air and began sucking out his life. It brought a chill down the victim's spine as he flailed helplessly, no longer thinking of speaking but just struggling for air. It took only another few seconds before the soldier's head felt as if it was going to burst in pain and his world transfused to black.

He let the lifeless body fall limply to the ground with a dull thud.

The man sat down once more and lit another cigarette. He sucked in a satisfying lungful; allowing his chi to level into the sublime and spoke to the figure in the shadow, "Must I do everything around here?"

"Sir?"

"It's rogue conduct like this that can bring the whole organization at risk and I have zero tolerance for this kind of behavior. I thought you had picked able minded soldiers. After all, I was satisfied with my direct assessment of Alpha's performance earlier this week."

"You… were following Alpha during his reconnaissance, sir?"

"Part of the purpose was to observe the ability of the soldiers but my foremost priority was see the girl again. Just because I know how to delegate tasks doesn't mean I can't practice a little micro management. Or did you have a problem with my method of quality control?"

She managed to reveal only a slight timidity in her tone, "No sir. How you run the organization as well as what you do with your time is your business my Lord."

Murky tension threatened to fill the air once again for what seemed like an eternity. She stood dead still, wondering if today would indeed be her last.

"Get a new soldier to fill the slot."

"Yes sir."

"This time, someone competent who knows how to follow orders. Reiterate the importance of this mission to each and every one of the soldiers. You will also personally be responsible for taking over the reconnaissance task until you find a proper replacement. Do not fail me again, Indara." He waved his hand casually towards the still body and added, "And clean this up."

His trademark grin, bordering on the sadistically comical, crossed his features as he thought of another idea, "Or better yet, transport it to the lab as a contribution for the research."

The elegant figure with long black hair stepped out of the shadows to act on his orders, "Yes Lord Chinmei."

Chinmei inhaled a lungful of the satisfying cigarette after the room was cleared of any evidence of his explosive anger. He mused in solitude as he allowed the smoke to calm the residual bloodlust in his chi.

_After four agonizing years, the dormant power is alive once again. We missed the awakening, but no matter. The catalyst will hit again. _

A low chuckle escaped his lips. And he smiled. A hungry, maniacal smile a predator would make in anticipation before capturing his prey.

He was going to enjoy the hunt.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**A/N (****01/31/05)** – The mystery figure spying on Yuya at the end of Chapter One is at last revealed! In the manga, Chinmei has these, thin, maniacal eyes hidden behind dark glasses that are simply, deliciously evil.

Answers to some questions:

**Q: Kyo is the detective. Really?  
****A:** Really. There were several candidates in mind (including Kyoshiro and Migeira) but I went with the classic demon eyes. Kyo's unique methods in acquiring justice as well as his vicious with a quiet power characteristic made him my prime choice to be the detective.

**Q:** **What version of SDK mangas do you read?  
****A:** I've been following the Japanese version which is currently up to Volume 30 in the tankoubun (printed volumes of the manga) series. Although I have a moderate command of the language, I am far from being fluent. So I read with the help of my trusty Japanese-English dictionary and a kanji character manual.

**Q: How often do you update your story?  
****A:** It varies. Ideally, every 3 weeks. I would like to stick to a more regimented schedule but life has been quite demanding as of late. (Work, school and other events). I also write other stories which keep me busy as well. I do appreciate those of you that have continued to follow _Touch of Faith_.

**Q: Enough about the silly writer, tell me what else is going to happen.  
A:** My pleasure. More Akira x Yuya moments coming up as they get to know each other. Chinmei will be making further appearances and other members within his group will be introduced. Five people make up the key leadership within the Goyousei. Indara is one of them. TRIVIA: There is a villainous character from the manga who I will be adapting as another member of the five in this story. Can you guess who? And more Yukimura coming up next chapter.

**Thank you for reading. **

**Special thanks to those that took the time to review: yami1, The Narrator, Angie-san, Ayumi Omoide, sassy-kun, Alyson Metallium, Starian Princess, Shiseiten Hikari, Triste1, shadowcat15, and majin-dina. **


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